


The Great Pumpkin (and apples)

by winter_angst



Series: Dribble Drabbles [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Curtain Fic, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26585554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winter_angst/pseuds/winter_angst
Summary: Brock, Jack and TJ visit an apple orchard.
Relationships: Jack Rollins/Brock Rumlow
Series: Dribble Drabbles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1527689
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	The Great Pumpkin (and apples)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FantasticWinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticWinter/gifts).



> TJ was created by the lovely FantasticWinter

October was the perfect month. The heat of summer was depleted, the colors changed as the leaves dried out. It was a month of sweaters and long pants, not cold enough to warrant mittens but thick socks were a must. It wasn't just the temperature, it was the mood. The fast pace of summer shifted to slower times where warmth and family were even more important. The go go go pace of summer was abolished by remembering that each day should be cherished and enjoyed. The smell of pumpkin spice hung in the air, stores were stocked full of Halloween decorations and hinting towards November. Turkeys were on sale and cornucopia baskets were stocked in supermarkets. Days wading in pools turned to wading in leaves. Kids were adjusting to being back to school and the font of fridges were chalk full of tests and drawings. The sky was vast, pale blue and open, the sun just warm enough to take the edge of the crisp air. 

It was perfect. 

Brock woke up to the smell of bacon, the bed empty to his right. He wasted little time in getting up, slipping his feet into slippers to protect them from the chilly hardwood floor. He made up the bed and paused by the window looking down at the front yard and the swing set. TJ didn’t often go out before breakfast but some days he couldn’t help himself so Jack bundled him up and took his coffee outside so he could watch him from the terrace. But today chances were he was up on his chair, stirring pancake batter well away from the stove, especially when Jack was frying bacon. 

He stood in the archway and took in the view. Sunlight streamed in front the sliding glass door, Jack facing the stove in the gray sweatpants Brock loved so much. TJ was clad in dino footie pajamas at the island, stirring away with his little tongue poking on in concentration. They hadn’t noticed him yet, too distracted by their tasks. Brock made himself known with a hello and TJ brightened up and waved at him. 

“Did you have good sleeps?” TJ asked because it was always important to him that everyone slept well. 

“I did. Did you?” 

“Mmhm, I had dreams about Guppy and Bubbles!” 

They were two of the fish that lived in the aquarium. Brock nodded his head. “Well that sounds like a good dream.” 

“It was.” TJ confirmed and then got back to his task. 

Brock made coffee and then stood beside Jack. He had eggs frying in one pan and bacon in another. The griddle was situated above the burners on the left. “Good morning,” Jack said. 

“Good morning,” he returned. “Thanks for letting me sleep in.” 

“Seemed like you needed it. You’ve been stressing over the fiscal reports all week.” 

Brock groaned. “Don’t remind me. I should work on it tomorrow too. Make Monday a bit more tolerable.” 

“You’re not working on a Sunday,” Jack said sternly. “You’re gonna run yourself into the ground.” 

“Coming from the guy who puts 60 plus hours into the hospital each week. And on call.” 

Jack murmured his agreement. “Trust me, if I could keep it to forty hours I would. But enough about work, we both have this weekend off and we have plans.” 

Brock nodded in agreement. It had taken a lot of reorganizing and Jack calling in a few favors to not only have Saturday and Sunday off but not being on call either. The purpose of it was to take TJ apple picking and then select his pumpkin for carving. Jack felt he didn’t spend nearly enough with TJ and, honestly, it was true. It came with the territory. They knew how much Jack worked when they adopted him. Brock evened it out, his nine to five job provided him plenty of time for parent teacher conferences nd PTA meetings. The meetings were important because TJ had special needs and Brock needed to ensure that the programs that helped them remained up to par. TJ had fun at those meetings, playing with sensory toys with his friends. Occasionally a parent would dunk out to facilitate the kids playing on the play structure. 

Jack wanted to be there for all those moments, and sometimes he was, but it was impossible for him to do so unless he went into private practice which he refused to do when his current hospital was short staffed. Jack was a good guy like that. He put himself last. So in return Brock did his best to put him first. Except for this morning. He had dropped the ball on that one. Brock took over the bacon and Jack went over to help whisk together the batter. 

“It’s just not working papa,” TJ exclaimed, sounding frustrated. 

“It is being pretty difficult,” Jack agreed. “How about I give it a go. It might listen to me and mix together.” 

“Yeah you’re a grown up. It’ll listen to you.” TJ agreed, slipping off his stool, scurrying out the room for one reason or another. 

The house was TJ proof, as Brock called it. Hard edges were covered, any harmful substances well out of reach (which was growing difficult now that he had figured out that chairs made hard to reach places obtainable...like the cookie jar). But as a long as cookies were the only thing he was after Brock figured things were well within control. Chances were he was going to get his stuffed wolf or some matchbox cars to drive over the carpet with roads on it. Jack finished whisking together the batter and started to pour it onto the griddle. He facilitated it while Brock took half the bacon out and waited for the other portion to cook down enough to char the fat the way Jack liked it. Brock couldn’t understand it personally but that was okay. He didn’t have to eat it. 

Once the pile of pancakes were done Brock went hunting for TJ. He was in the den, which was less of a den and more of a TJ haven, and told him breakfast was ready. “Papa got the batter to work?” he asked anxiously. 

“He gave it a firm talking to and it listened.” 

“Okay good.” TJ held out his hand and Brock took it, and they started down the steps together. 

Jack had made up the table, a pitcher of orange juice in the middle of the table, flanked on either side by plates of food. A pile of toast, several sunny side up eggs, fluffy pancakes with a decanter of maple syrup beside it. When Jack cooked it was always a feast with far too much food for three people but the pancakes could be salvaged with a trip to the toaster during the week, and the eggs were in an edible portion, especially for TJ who loved to break open the yolk and scoop it up with his toast, something he learned from Jack. Breakfast was a cheery affair. TJ saw that Brock was wearing slippers and pointed out that his footie pajamas had slippers made into them and suggested Brock get a pair. Brock agreed that would be a good idea and said he’d look into it. Brock thanked the both of them for such a tasty breakfast. 

Once everyone was full Brock got to clearing the table and did up the dishes while Jack played with TJ in the den. It was nearing eight and they weren’t going to leave until ten which gave Brock a bit of time to get some cleaning done to save time tomorrow. He threw in a load of laundry and stripped TJ’s bed. He abhorred laundry but it was a necessary evil. At least he didn’t have to go to a laundromat like he’d had to do with his first three apartments. 

He was going through the fridge when Jack came down and reminded him of the time. 

“TJ’s already dressed.” 

“Oh good.” 

Brock got himself dressed, tugging his L.L Bean fleece on. He didn’t know how cold it would be at the orchard. His nonna always said that when out it was easy to take off layers but it was impossible to add them. Jack slipped into a light jacket and soon they were piling into the car. TJ was well bundled up, they didn’t want him cold. Brock had a pair of mitten in his pocket as well, just in case. They placed the soundtrack to Aladdin, TJ’s current favorite movie, and Jack and Brock caught up on all the things they’d missed due to work. Brock informed him that TJ had moved up a reading group and that his one-on-one thought he could make it up another one if they kept on at their rate. Brock read to him every night, pointing at each word to try and help TJ form connections to the words and the sound. It seemed to be helping. He told Jack about the PTA meeting and the bake sale they were holding at the upcoming t-ball game. 

Jack shared that he was frustrated he wouldn’t be able to attend TJ’s first game of the season. He had missed the one last season as well. Brock assured him that TJ understood he had to work. TJ was proud that his papa was a doctor, he told everyone who’d listen that Jack saved everyone’s life at work. His class was in amazement at it and Jack, at the teacher’s insistence, had come to talk a little bit about what he did. After Brock assured him there would be plenty of games for him to attend, Jack turned the conversation back towards the bake sale and demanded to make something. Brock agreed that he’d wait to make blondies until Jack was there to help. He had a feeling they’d be very late night brownies but that was okay. Anything to make Jack feel better. 

They arrived and parked in a full lot. Thankfully the orchard was large, that was what Brock looked for. TJ got easily overwhelmed, especially around a lot of strangers. He also made sure the check out counter was stocked with honey sticks because they were a vice of his and he couldn’t wait to stock up. Jack and Brock each took TJ’s hand and they walked to the check in desk where they accepted two cloth bags. Jack looked at it in confusion. 

“Plastic bag ban. Bullshit if you ask me,” Brock muttered. 

Paper bags were flimsy and fabric ones just meant more laundry. He tried not to make a fuss when he forgot them and had to accept a paper bag (which he was charged extra for which was also bullshit). 

“Daddy that’s a no word,” TJ whispered. 

“You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry TJ.” 

“You gotta ‘pologize to papa too.” 

Brock looked at Jack. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, I still love you.” 

They started down the steps to the lower land where the trees were planted. 

The front areas were densely populated which probably meant less good apples so they took the long way to the back where no one else was. TJ let go of their hands and went skipping between the trees. Brock followed him and Jack started to pick ripe apples high up in the tree. That was another reason he had kept this trip for when Jack was free -- he could reach the apples others couldn’t. Brock caught up with TJ when he started to strain for a golden apple, a crispin, just out of reach, hanging plump and heavy, just a few hours from falling from the tree on its own. 

“Daddy!” TJ cried when he saw him. He looked distressed and frustrated. “I can’t reach.”

“How about I lift you up.” 

“Noooo,” he said, a bit more upset. “I wanna reach by myself.” 

Brock thought about the best way to tell him that he was just too small when the answer struck him: bring the apple to TJ. He walked up the tree and on his tiptoes he was able to reach the bough which he pulled down, just a little and TJ grabbed the apple with a wide grin Brock released the branch carefully. He didn’t want to jostle any loose and risk it hitting and hurting TJ. TJ didn’t stick around, he ran to put the apple into his Jack’s bag sharing the tale behind how he’d reached it. Jack nodded along, impressed and Brock laughed, starting to gather some of his own. Apple crisp was definitely on the menu tonight. 

When both their bags were weighed down they paid and Brock took the apples to the car while they waited for the tractor to come back to take them on a hay ride to the pumpkin patch. He returned just in time, the big red tractor pulled to a stop and people clamored off the wagon with pumpkins in their arms. 

“Papa did they take all the pumpkins?” TJ whimpered. 

“No, buddy. There are lots and lots of pumpkins. You’ll see.” 

“Okay,” TJ sniffled, wiping away his tears. “We gotta find a pumpkin for me and you and daddy and one for muffins and bread, right?” 

“That’s right.” 

They got in and TJ loved every second even though he hung onto Jack and Brock worried about one of them falling off. The tractor moved slowly, traversing it’s path with care. It was a little bumpy but that was part of the fun. When they arrived an employee outlined where the mature pumpkins were and where the sugar pumpkin lot was. Selecting the pumpkins took a long time. So long in fact the tractor made two trips back. TJ finally decided on with a lump (“He already has a nose, daddy. See?”)

From there it was quick for them to select their pumpkins and Brock grabbed two sugar pumpkins thinking he could add some little pumpkin bread loafs to the bake sale table. The ride back to the check in area was full of excited chatter from TJ, who told everyone (they humored him, thank god) about how he’d selected the perfect pumpkin. The other kids agreed that it was a really cool pumpkin and that pleased him. After the pumpkins were paid for Brock tried to brush off all the dirt and mud from them before putting them in the hatch. 

On the ride home they stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts for a hot chocolate for all three of them. Once home they put the pumpkins on the stoop for the day (they’d have to bring them inside overnight). TJ promptly returned the den and Brock and Jack took a moment together. Jack sat down to read and Brock curled up beside him, throw draped over him as he watched daytime TV. After a while TJ grew tired of playing and came down. Law and Order quickly turned to Ask The Storybots and Brock didn’t mind it atll, especially when TJ got up onto the couch and slipped under the covers. The three of them laid there, a perfect little family, and Brock was thankful for the life they had. Even though moments like this were rare, even though things could be hectic at times, he loved every second at the end of the day. 

Because every second was a blessing.


End file.
